Chpt5 Episode 5: "Changing Channels"
Chpt5 Episode 5: "Changing Channels" is an episode in the series: Power Rangers: Omniverse. 'Plot ' The episode begins with the original Green MMPR and the original Red MMPR clashing with one another. Green, equipped with his Dragon Dagger and the Sword of Darkness, and Red with his Power Sword. The Green Ranger dominating in their battle, within the last moments, Red uses all the power with his sword to disarm the Green Ranger from the Sword of Darkness, destroying it. The Green Ranger unmorphs which reveals to be Kurt. And Red as Hunter. With Bobby, Jo, Ellen and Ash arriving on the scene witnessing Hunter defeating Kurt. Ash: Yeah, Rita's spell is broken! Hunter: (runs up to aid Kurt up) You okay, Kurt? Kurt: What's happened to me? Hunter: You'll no longer under Rita's power. Kurt: Oh man, my head's spinning. What have I done? Hunter: What you did, was under Rita's influence. You own the power now. Fight by our side, and we can defeat Rita. Kurt: After everything that's happened? Hunter: Kurt, we need you. Hunter reaches out to offer a handshake. Hunter: Will you join us, Kurt? Kurt nods and accepts his handshake. Hunter: All right then, It's Morphin Time! Then cuts to the original "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" opening theme with: Hunter as the Red Ranger Ellen as the Yellow Ranger Bobby as the Black Ranger Jo' as the Pink Ranger Ash as the Blue Ranger and Kurt as the Green Ranger After the opening credit montage, the timeline shifts to two days earlier, in Wellington, OH, in a motel room. Kurt walks in and finds Hunter engrossed in an episode of ‘’Dr. Sexy, MD.’’ After a bit of shaming, they leave to talk local law enforcement about the strange death of a man named Willis Reynolds. The officer informs them that the death has been deemed a bear attack. Hunter voices doubt, since this alleged bear chased Willis through the woods, smashed through his front door, chased him up the stairs, and ripped his head of in his bedroom--all witnessed by his wife, who is alive and well. He asks the officer if his wife said it was a bear, his reply is that she’s traumatized and confused. They speak to the wife and she eventually nervously admits she could have sworn it was the Incredible Hulk, the Lou Ferrigno one, that killed her husband. Later, Kurt returns to the motel from surveying the Reynold residence and reports that there’s an 8-foot hole where their front door used to be and candy wrappers from the crime scene. Hunter has meanwhile been doing research on the late Willis and found that he had a history of bar brawling and spousal abuse and had been court-ordered to attend anger management sessions. He sums him up:”You might say you wouldn't like him when he's angry.” A hot head, Kurt observes, killed by TV's greatest hothead. Having found evidence that someone with a sweet tooth had been on the Reynolds’ property, and recalling his “just desserts” method of screwing with and/or punishing people, they work out that they are dealing with the Trickster. Hunter immediately looks forward to ganking him, but Kurt thinks they should consider talking to him first. He reasons that in addition to being one of the most powerful creatures they know of, he carries on like Hugh Hefner, and if the world ends so would his non-stop party. Kurt thinks maybe he’d be interested in allying with them to avert the Apocalypse just to keep his status quo. Hunter is dubious and chaffed by the idea of joining forces with a ruthless monster, but Kurt rebuts that they haven't got the luxury of maintaining moral high ground right now. Plus, he adds, if his idea doesn’t work, they’ll kill him. As Hunter and Kurt monitor a police scanner and prepare stakes in anticipation of confronting the Trickster, they hear transmissions about a possible murder at an abandoned warehouse and requests for immediate back-up. They arrive at the location and enter the abandoned warehouse with stakes at the ready, only to find themselves transported to vibrantly-colored Seattle Mercy Hospital, dressed as doctors. Kurt is soon greeted by slaps across the face delivered in true soap opera fashion by a woman Hunter identifies as sexy yet earnest Dr. Ellen Piccolo, from ‘’Dr. Sexy, M.D.’ They eventually realize that they’ve been trapped in TV land by the Trickster. Hunter is giving Kurt the low down on all the characters when he spots Dr. Sexy coming toward them. A little starstruck, Hunter is unable to make eye-contact with Dr. Sexy and bashfully looks down. He sees that Dr. Sexy is wearing athletic shoes instead of his trademark cowboy boots, and instantly knows it’s the Trickster in disguise. Everyone except for Hunter and Kurt and "Dr. Sexy" in the room freeze-frames. Hunter glances around as the doctor grins and shapeshifts into the Trickster. Trickster: You guys are getting better! Hunter: Get us the hell out of here. Trickster: Or what? The Trickster grabs Hunter's arm and twists, hurting him. Trickster: Don't say you have wooden stakes, big guy. Kurt: That was you on the police scanner, right? This is a trick. Trickster: Helllooo? (gestures his face) Trricksterrr! Come on! I heard you two yahoos were in town. How could I resist? Hunter: Where the hell are we? Trickster: Like it? It's all homemade. My own sets—My own actors. Call it my own little idiot box. Hunter: How do we get out? Trickster: That, my friend, is the sixty-four-dollar question. Kurt: Whatever. We just, we need to talk to you. We need your help. Trickster: Hm, let me guess. You two muttonheads broke the world, and you want me to sweep up your mess. Kurt: Please. Just five minutes. Hear us out. Trickster: Sure. Tell you what. Survive the next twenty-four hours, we'll talk. Hunter: Survive what? Trickster: The gaaaame! Kurt: What game? Trickster: You're already in it. Hunter: How do we play? Trickster: You're playing it. Hunter: What are the rules? The Trickster raises his eyebrows, grins, and vanishes in a burst of static. Everyone else in the room unpauses. Hunter: Oh, son of a bitch! They continue wandering the hospital halls when a distraught husband approaches Hunter demanding to know why he didn’t give his wife the face transplant she needs. But Hunter tells him to get lost and walks away, and the man pulls out a gun and shoots him in the back. Hunter tries to turn around to check his gunshot wound, then falls to his knees. Hunter: Oh! Real—it's real! Kurt: No no no, no no no—hey! We need a doctor! Kurt looks around frantically. Soon after Hunter is facedown on an operating table, staring through the headrest at several pairs of white tennis shoes. For inexplicable reasons he is not under anesthesia. Kurt is dressed in operating scrubs, as is everyone else in the room. Dr. Piccolo is watching through glass. Kurt holds something absorbent against Hunter's injury with a pair of tweezers. Blonde Doctor: BP is eighty over fifty and dropping. Doctor #2: Doctor. Doctor #2 holds out a scalpel. But Kurt doesn't take it. Hunter: Kurt, do something. Come on! Kurt leans over and speaks in an undertone. Kurt: I don't know how to use any of this crap. Hunter: Well, figure it out. Kurt grins awkwardly at the other doctors but doesn't do anything. Hunter: Kurt, come on. I'm waiting. Kurt: Okay. Um. I need a penknife, some dental floss, a sewing needle, and a fifth of whiskey. The other doctors look at him and each other. Kurt: Stat! Everyone starts moving. A view of a mostly-empty bottle of Kentucky Bourbon and a thing of dental floss next to the usual surgical tools. Kurt's gloved hands are bloody. Kurt snips off the extra floss from Hunter's stitches. Hunter We okay? How's it looking? Kurt: Yep. You'll be fine. Kurt looks up and catches sight of Dr. Piccolo, who mouths 'I love you' and sighs, smiling. The shoes leave Hunter's field of vision. The lighting and texture shift, the music fades, and the light starts to flash in time with clapping. Shouts. The floor has become two doors, which slide apart. Behind the doors is blue-lit smoke. A Japanese man comes out of the doors and forward between two Japanese women and Hunter and Kurt, both of whom are wearing their usual outfits. Japanese Gameshow Host: Let's play Nutcracker! Thrusting his fist. The crowd cheers and applauds. Hunter looks around: he is standing in shoes glued to a platform that has a slot for a pole with a large ball at the end. Kurt is similarly situated. The host pulls out flashcards out of his jacket. Host: Kurt Mendoza! The Host speaks in Japanese: Anata no shin'yū yori mo anata ga eranda akuma no namae wa nanideshita ka? (translating: What was the name of the demon you chose over your bestfriend?) Host: Countdown! Kurt: What? The screen begins to tick down the seconds. Kurt: Uh, what am I supposed to say? Hunter: You think I know? Kurt addresses the Host: Uh, I, I don't, I don't understand Japanese. The Host presumably repeating the question in Japanese: What was the name of the demon you chose over your own bestfriend? Kurt: Is he screwing with me? I, I, I can't speak Japanese. The screen hits "0". A buzz. The Host speaking in Japanese: Kotaeha... (The answer is...) Host: Ruby! Host: I'm sorry, Kurt Mendoza. Kurt Sorry? Sorry for what? The Host mimes hiding laughter. Kurt: Hunter? The pole on Kurt's platform bursts up, the ball at the end whacks Kurt in the crotch. Hunter is horrified; the crowd cheers. Host: (thrusting his fist) Oooh! Nutcracker! The scene replays from several angles. The Japanese caption flashes: ナッツクラッカー！(nutcracker!) Hunter: Kurt? Kurt makes an inarticulate noise. One of the Japanese women says something in Japanese. The Host goes over to her. She shows off a bag of shrimp chips promoting it to the audience. Hunter: You okay? Kurt just gives him a look agonizing in pain. Hunter looks at Kurt's platform, then at his own, and cringes. Then a banging on the doors of the gameshow setup. Hunter: Oh now what? The doors open to reveal Castiel. The crowd gasps. Hunter: Cas!? Kurt: Is this another trick? Castiel: It's me. (looks around the room confused) Uh, what are you doing here? Hunter: Us? What are you doing here? Castiel: Looking for you. You've been missing for days. Kurt: So get us the hell out of here, then! Castiel: Let's go! He raises his arms to touch both Hunter and Kurt on the forehead and vanishes in a burst of static. Hunter: Cas? The Host comes back to center stage. The Host: No, no, no, no! Mr. Trickster does not like pretty-boy angels. The Host pulls out another flashcard and confronts Hunter Host: Hunter Winchester! The Host speaks in Japanese: Anata no haha to chichi anata no akanbō no kyōdai ga umareta koto ga nainara, mada ikite imasu ka? (Would your mother and father still be alive if your baby brother was never born?) Host: (rolling his arm) Countdown! The screen begins to tick down the seconds from "20". Hunter: What do I do, what do I do? Kurt: What? Hunter: I don't wanna get hit in the nuts. Kurt: I don't know, I, I, uh, just, uh—wait. Hunter: What? Kurt: I played a doctor. Hunter: What? Kurt: In, uh, in Dr. Sexy I played a doctor. I operated. Hunter: So? Kurt: So I played the role the Trickster wanted me to play. Maybe we should just go along with it. Hunter: Go along with what? Kurt: With the game! You know, we're on a game show, right? So just answer the question! Hunter: In Japanese? Kurt: Yeah! Hunter: I don't know Japanese! Kurt: Then try! Hunter: Dammit! Hunter hits the button. The countdown freezes just before the buzz, the audience and the host is silence. Hunter then says something in Japanese. Kotaeha `hai'desu ka? (The answer is yes?) The Host nods and repeats his answer: `Hai'desu ka? Hunter: Hai? (Yes?) The Host then about to announce something. Hunter braces himself. Host: Hunter Winchester!....Nutcracker champion! The crowd cheers. Kurt: How did you do that? Hunter: I have no idea. Kurt: So that's it. We play our roles, we survive. Hunter: Yeah, but play our roles for how long? Kurt: Good question. Hunter forces a grin and waves at the crowd. Next they are back in the reinactment of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers episode: Green With Evil earlier on, with Hunter, Kurt, Bobby, Ellen, Jo, and Ash calling upon their Dino zords to form a megazord. But when they enter their individual cockpits, Hunter is not familiar with the controls of the zords indicating he's never been able to use a zord before. Kurt pointing out to him to just play along or else they won't be able to have the chance to confront the Trickster. Then Castiel reappears in Hunter's zord cockpit, shown to have some injuries inflicted on him. Then suddenly Hunter, Kurt and Castiel are ejected and thrown off of their zords then shifts them back into a motel room with a crowd. Hunter in pain, tries to get back up. Hunter: Ugh! How long do we have to keep doing this? Kurt trying to get back up as well. Kurt: I don't know man. The crowd laughs. Kurt continues: Maybe forever? The crowd continues laughing. Hunter: We might die in here man. The crowd continues to crack a laugh. Hunter: How was that funny? Vultures. The trio get back up on their feet. Hunter: You okay Cas? Castiel: We don't have much time. Kurt: What happened to you? Castiel: I got out. Hunter: From where? Castiel: Listen to me. Something is not right. This thing is much more powerful than it should be. Hunter: What thing—the Trickster? Castiel: If it is a trickster. Kurt: What do you mean? Castiel is flung backwards into the wall, his face hidden. The Trickster enters the scene. Trickster: Hellooo! Applause and cheers. Castiel gets up; his mouth has been duct-taped shut. Trickster: Thank you! Thank you, ladies and germs! Castiel glares at the Trickster. Trickster: Hi, Castiel! The Trickster gestures at Castiel, who vanishes in a burst of static. Kurt: You know him? Hunter: Where did you just send him? Trickster: Relax, he'll live. ...Maybe. The crowd cracks a laugh. Hunter: All right, you know what? I am done with the monkey dance, okay? We get it. Trickster: Yeah? Get what, hotshot? Hunter: Playing our roles, right? That's your game? Trickster: That's half the game. Kurt: What's the other half? Trickster: Play your roles out there. Hunter: What's that supposed to mean? Trickster: Oh, you know. Kurt starring as Lucifer! Hunter starring as Michael. Your celebrity death match. Play...your roles! Kurt: You want us to say yes to those sons of bitches? Trickster: Hells yeah. Let's light this candle! Kurt: We do that, the world will end. Trickster: Yeah? And whose fault is that? Who popped Lucifer out of the box? Hm? Look, it's started. You started it. It can't be stopped. So let's get it over with! Kurt glares. Hunter: Heaven or hell, which side you on? Trickster: I'm not on either side. Hunter: Yeah, right. You're grabbing ankle for Michael or Lucifer. Which one is it? Trickster: You listen to me, you arrogant dick. I don't work for either of those S.O.B.s. Believe me. Hunter: Oh, you're somebody's bitch. The Trickster's smile vanishes. He grabs Hunter by the collar and slams him into the wall. Trickster: Don't you ever, ever presume to know what I am. Now listen very closely. Here's what's gonna happen. You're gonna suck it up, accept your responsibilities, and play the roles that destiny has chosen for you! Kurt: And if we don't? The Trickster grins. Trickster: Then you'll stay here in TV Land. Forever. Three hundred channels and, uh, nothing's on. The Trickster snaps his fingers. Hunter and Kurt next find themselves in a procedural cop show. Hunter: Oh come on! A police officer ducks under the crime scene tape. Officer: So, what do you think? Hunter: What do I think? I think go screw yourself, that's what I think. Kurt: Uh, could you give us a sec, please? Thanks. The officer nods and turns away. Kurt: You gotta calm down. Hunter: Calm down? I am wearing sunglasses at night! Hunter yanks them off. Hunter: You know who does that? No-talent douchebags. Kurt nods in agreement. Hunter: I hate this game. I hate that we're in a procedural cop show and you wanna know why? Because I hate procedural cop shows. There's like three hundred of them on television and they're all the freaking same. It's ooh, plane crashed here—oh shut up! Kurt notices something at the crime scene and takes off his sunglasses. Kurt: Hey. Hunter: What? Kurt: Check out sweet tooth over there. The officer is sucking a lollipop. Hunter: Think that's him? Kurt: Just, um, follow my lead. Kurt goes over to the body and Hunter follows in a stylish fashion. They both put on their sunglasses in a dramatic effect. Officer: You, uh, you okay? Hunter: Yeah. What do we got? The officer kneels next to the body. Officer: Well, aside from the ligature marks around his neck, he has what appears to be a roll of quarters jammed down his throat. Hunter takes off his sunglasses, gets out a flashlight, and takes a closer look. Kurt also takes off his sunglasses. Kurt: Well I say, jackpot. The officer looks up, snorting in amusement. Kurt puts his sunglasses back on. Officer: Hmm, also, there is a stab wound to the lower abdomen. The officer indicates the bloodstain with his lollipop. Hunter grabs a stick and pokes at the hole in the shirt with it, getting blood on the stick, then puts his sunglasses back on. Hunter: Well I say, no guts, no glory. The officer laughs. Hunter puts his sunglasses back on. Kurt: Get that guy a...Tums. Hunter: Gutter ball. The officer keeps laughing. Officer Ehehe,good one, guys! Hunter comes around behind him with the stick. The officer turns toward Hunter, who stabs him with it. Internal view of the stake piercing a beating heart. The officer collapses, struggling to breathe. None of the extras notice or care except another officer, who starts laughing and shifts into the Trickster. Trickster: Ahaha! You've got the wrong guy, idiots! Hunter: Did we? Kurt then stabs the Trickster from behind with a wooden stake. He falls over. A burst of static returning them back to reality in the abandoned warehouse. The Trickster lays dead with the stake through him. The next morning, Hunter and Kurt are back in their motel rooms. Hunter finishes brushing his teeth and spits. Hunter: I'm worried, man. What that SOB did to Cas. You know, where is he? No response. Hunter: Kurt? The room is empty with no sign of Kurt. Hunter: Where are you? Hunter heads for the Impala, his phone to his ear. Kurt on the phone recording: It's Kurt. Leave me a message. Hunter gets in the car. Hunter: Kurt. It's me. Where the hell did you go? Hunter hangs up and puts his phone in his pocket. Kurt: Hunter? Kurt's voice sounds electronic. Hunter looks around. Kurt isn't in the car. Hunter: Kurt? Where are you? Kurt: I don't know. Hunter notices a red light on the dashboard. It flashes in time with Kurt's words. Kurt: Oh crap. Hunter gives an odd look. Kurt: I don't think we killed the Trickster. Later that day, the Knight Rider theme plays. The Impala has acquired red flashing lights under the front grille as well. Hunter is driving on the highway. Hunter: Okay, stake didn't work. So, what, this is another trick? Kurt: I don't know. Maybe the stake didn't work because it's not a trickster? Hunter: What do you mean? Kurt: Well you heard Cas. He said this thing was too powerful to be a trickster. Hunter: And did you notice the way he looked at Cas? Almost like he knew him. Kurt: And how pissed he got when you brought up Michael and Lucifer. Hunter: Son of a bitch. Kurt: What? Hunter: I think I know what we're dealing with. He continues riding along the rode with the Knight Rider theme continues playing. The Kurt-Impala now parked on the side of the rode, Hunter rummages in the trunk of the car. Kurt: Hunter? Hunter: What? Kurt: That, uh, feels really uncomfortable. Hunter shuts the trunk. Kurt: Ow. Hunter steps in front of the car. Kurt: You sure this is gonna work? Hunter: No, but I have no other ideas. Hunter then shouts at the sky. Hunter: All right, you son of a bitch! Uncle! We'll do it! Silence. Kurt: Should I honk? The Trickster appearing from nowhere Trickster: Wow, Kurt! Get a load of the rims on you. Kurt: Eat me. The Trickster gives off a whistle. Trickster: Okay, boys. Ready to go quietly? Hunter: Whoa whoa whoa, not so fast. Nobody's going anywhere until Kurt has opposable thumbs. Trickster: What's the difference? Satan's going to ride his ass one way or another. Hunter gives him a serious look. The Trickster rolls his eyes and snaps his fingers. The lights on the car go out and Kurt gets out of the car. Trickster: Happy? Hunter: Tell me one thing. Why didn't the stake kill you? Trickster: Mmm, I am the Trickster. Hunter: Or maybe you're not. Kurt holds up a flaming cigarette lighter and tosses it down. A ring of fire springs up around the Trickster. Hunter: Maybe you've always been an angel. The Trickster looks incredulous, then laughs. Trickster: Hah! A what? Somebody slip a mickey in your power shake, boy? Hunter: I'll tell you what. You just jump out of the holy fire and we'll call it our mistake. The Trickster scoffs, then loses his grin: realizing he's caught. A burst of static. The trio are back at the abandoned warehouse, returning back to reality for real this time. The "Trickster" clapping at the boys. ???: Well played, boys. Well played. Where'd you get the holy oil? Hunter: Well, you might say we pulled it out of Kurt's ass. ???: Where'd I screw up? Kurt: You didn't. Nobody gets the jump on Cas like you did. Hunter: Mostly it was the way you talked about Armageddon. ???: Meaning? Hunter: Well, call it personal experience, but nobody gets that angry unless they're talking about their own family. Kurt: So which one are you? Grumpy, Sneezy, or Douchey? ???: Gabriel, okay? They call me Gabriel. Hunter: Gabriel?...The Archangel? Gabriel throws his hands up and says: Guilty. Hunter: Okay, Gabriel. Why does one Archangel want to become a Trickster? Gabriel: My own private witness protection. I skipped out of Heaven, had a face transplant, carved out my own little corner of the world. Till you two screwed it all up. Hunter: What did Daddy say when you ran off and joined the pagans? Gabriel: Daddy doesn't say anything about anything. Kurt: Then what happened? Why'd you ditch? Hunter: Do you blame him? I mean, his brothers are heavyweight douchenozzles. Gabriel getting serious: Shut your cakehole. You don't know anything about my family. I love my father, my brothers. Love them. But watching them turn on each other? Tear at each other's throats? I couldn't bear it! Okay? So I left. And now it's happening all over again. Kurt: Then help us stop it! Gabriel: It can't be stopped! Hunter: You wanna see the end of the world? Gabriel: I just want it to be over! I have to sit back and watch my own brothers kill each other thanks to you two. Heaven, hell, I don't care who wins! I just want it to be over. Kurt: It doesn't have to be like that. There has to be some way to, to pull the plug. Gabriel laughs. Gabriel: You do not know my family! What you guys call the Apocalypse, I used to call Sunday dinner. That's why there's no stopping this, because this isn't about a war. It's about two brothers that loved each other and betrayed each other. You'd think you'd be able to relate. Kurt: What are you talking about? Gabriel: Ahaha! You sorry sons of bitches! Why do you think you two are the vessels? Hunter and Kurt glare back at each other. Gabriel: Think about it. Michael!: (gesturing to Hunter) the big brother, loyal to an absent father, and Lucifer!: (gestures to Kurt) the little brother, rebellious of daddy's plan. You were born to this, boys. It's your destiny! It was always you! Gabriel raises his arms and yells: As it is in Heaven, so shall it be on Earth! One brother has to kill the other. Hunter: What the hell are you saying? Gabriel: Why do you think I've always taken such an interest in you? Because from the moment Dad flipped on the lights around here, we knew it was all gonna end with you. Always. A long pause. Hunter and Kurt then at each other. Hunter: No. That's not gonna happen. Gabriel: I'm sorry. But it is. Gabriel sighs. Gabriel: Guys. I wish this were a TV show. Easy answers, endings wrapped up in a bow...but this is real, and it's gonna end bloody for all of us. That's just how it's gotta be. A moment of silence for a few minutes. As Hunter and Kurt think it through. Gabriel: So. Boys. Now what? We stare at each other for the rest of eternity? Hunter: Well, first of all, you're gonna bring Cas back from wherever you stashed him. Gabriel: Oh am I. Hunter: Yeah. Or we're going to dunk you in some holy oil and deep-fry ourselves an Archangel. Gabriel gives him a ridiculoed look then snaps his fingers. Castiel appears to them. Hunter: Cas, you okay? Castiel: I'm fine. Cas then looks at Gabriel and says: Hello, Gabriel. Gabriel: Hey, bro. How's the search for Daddy going? Let me guess. Awful. Castiel glares. Hunter: Okay, now we're out of here. Come on, Kurt. Hunter turns and walks away. Gabriel: Uh. Okay. Guys? Kurt and Cas follows Hunter. Gabriel: So, so what? Huh? You're just gonna, you're gonna leave me here forever? Hunter stops at the door and turns back. Hunter: No. We're not, 'cause we don't screw with people the way you do. And for the record? This isn't about some prize fight between your brothers or some destiny that can't be stopped. This is about you being too afraid to stand up to your family! Hunter pulls the fire alarm. Gabriel looks up; the sprinklers go off. Hunter: Don't say I never did anything for you. Gabriel glares at them. Hunter and Kurt leaves as Castiel looks back for a moment and follows. The fire goes out with the rain of water from the sprinkles. Leaving Gabriel behind to think about what Hunter said. They head towards the Impala. Hunter All that stuff he was spouting in there, you think it was the truth? Kurt: I think he believes it. Hunter: So what do we do? Kurt: I don't know. Hunter: Well I'll tell you one thing. Right about now I wish I was back in a TV show. Kurt: Yeah, me too. The trio then gets in the car and drives off. Category:Episodes Category:Power Rangers: Omniverse